Little Brose set to bounce back in the McNeil Stakes

The Group 3 McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday could prove pivotal to the direction Little Brose takes during the spring.

While Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes are planning for a start in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14, a win by the colt in the 1200m sprint on Saturday could potentially open up a different path.

“If he come out and wins impressively by a big margin and someone was to offer him a slot in The Everest, we could change our mind,” Ben Hayes said.

“Giga Kick won the Vain Stakes and we’re a Group 1 winner when Giga Kick wasn’t last year.

“If he wins on Saturday and someone shows some interest, we could go that way.”

Little Brose returned from a successful two-year-old campaign that saw him win the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Sandown to finish fourth in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 19, beaten one-and-a-quarter lengths.

Hayes said the stable had erred by taking the winkers off Little Brose that day.

“On the day we were slightly disappointed, but it turned out to be a real sit and sprint,” Hayes said.

“It turned out that he ran the fifth fastest 200 metres of the meeting, it was just the three that finished in front of him ran slightly quicker.

“That day we were a little critical of ourselves as we didn’t leave the winkers on and he was a little bit like a drunken sailor out there, so we’ve got the winkers back on.

“His work into the race has been great and I think you’ll see a big improvement.”

Hayes said the three horses that finished in front of Little Brose first-up at Caulfield – Cylinder, Ouroboros and I Am Unstoppable – are missing from Saturday’s race while fifth placegetter that day Scheelite takes his place in the McNeil.

“He came through that first-up run really well and it’s funny that those that finished in front of him aren’t in the race,” Hayes said.

“I’m pretty confident that he’ll run a better race.”